Study Guide

Field 042: School Librarian
Sample Multiple-Choice Questions

Expand All | Collapse All

Objective 0001
The School Library Program (Standard 1)

1. A high school library program should contribute to the development of students' reading and literacy skills primarily by providing:

  1. a wide range of current reading materials in a variety of formats to inspire voluntary reading.
  2. a safe, quiet, and comfortable environment where students can focus during independent reading.
  3. up-to-date technologies and computer applications to support self-directed reading skills development.
  4. an array of technologies to support and enhance explicit reading instruction in the classroom.
Answer
Correct Response: A.
This question requires the examinee to demonstrate knowledge of the role of the school library program in promoting the development of literacy skills and reading for learning, personal growth, and enjoyment. A high school library program should provide reading materials that cover a wide range of topics and styles to address the needs and interests of the school population. Equipping the program with a diverse collection is likely to promote voluntary or leisure reading, thereby contributing to students' reading and literacy skills.
Objective 0002
The School Librarian (Standard 2)

2. Which of the following efforts by a school librarian represents the best example of advocating for the school library program?

  1. disseminating information to administrators, teachers, and students about resources available through the library
  2. implementing user satisfaction surveys in an effort to continually adapt to emerging needs of teachers and students
  3. providing the administration with data that effectively illustrates the role of the library program in meeting learning goals
  4. creating forums in which partnerships can be developed between administrators, teachers, library staff, patrons, and the broader community
Answer
Correct Response: D.
This question requires the examinee to demonstrate knowledge of the role of the school librarian as an advocate for the school library program and strategies for developing and promoting the collaborative advocacy role of teachers, administrators, families, and the community. Creating forums, such as book fairs and online forums to engage stakeholders, is an excellent way for school librarians to cultivate partnerships between administrators, teachers, library staff, patrons, and the community. Such partnerships help promote the school library program.
Objective 0002
The School Librarian (Standard 2)

3. A small group of parents/guardians demands that the school librarian remove a book from the shelves because they believe that it contains material that is inappropriate for students. Which of the following actions represents the most appropriate way for the librarian to respond in this situation?

  1. removing the book until its contents can be evaluated by a materials selection committee
  2. removing the book and evaluating its contents according to the school's collection policy as soon as possible
  3. keeping the book in circulation and informing the parents/guardians about how to file a formal complaint
  4. keeping the book in circulation and documenting the complaint with the principal's office as soon as possible
Answer
Correct Response: C.
This question requires the examinee to demonstrate knowledge of strategies for modeling, sharing, and promoting ethical and legal principles related to the school library program. The American Library Association’s Library Bill of Rights states the following: "Libraries should provide materials and information presenting all points of view on current and historical issues. Materials should not be proscribed or removed because of partisan or doctrinal disapproval." When an individual or group challenges material, the challenge should be regarded as an attempt to remove material from the curriculum or library, which restricts the access of others. Librarians should initiate a process that includes providing challengers with the library's materials selection policy and information about how to make a formal complaint, which must be filed in writing.
Objective 0003
Information and Technology Resources (Standard 3)

4. A school librarian who is evaluating digital tools for students with diverse learning styles would best be advised to consider whether the tools:

  1. are accompanied by strategies to extend learning goals in multiple curriculum areas.
  2. include supplemental materials that provide assistance through screen displays.
  3. permit the teacher to monitor and assess student progress continuously as students work toward curriculum goals.
  4. allow flexibility in instruction, self-monitoring, and demonstration of knowledge through multiple formats.
Answer
Correct Response: D.
This question requires the examinee to demonstrate knowledge of types, characteristics, and uses of various physical, digital, and virtual collections of resources. Digital technology has brought considerable change to the way information is accessed and used in the school community. Because there are so many types of digital tools, such as the Internet, databases, portals, multimedia learning platforms, tutorials, and simulations, school librarians should consider which formats allow for flexibility in how students access, use, present, and demonstrate knowledge of information. Digital tools should also offer multiple learning formats and strategies for self-monitoring for comprehension and progress. For instance, student-driven digital research experiences might involve open-ended queries that allow for flexible learning paths, depending on students' responses and preferences.
Objective 0003
Information and Technology Resources (Standard 3)

5. A school librarian is helping a middle school student select a book for independent reading. The student mainly enjoys nonfiction informational books and books based on factual material. Book recommendations from which of the following categories are likely to be most closely aligned with the student's interests?

  1. Geisel Award winners and honor books
  2. Sibert Medal winners and honor books
  3. Wilder Medal winners
  4. Carnegie Medal winners
Answer
Correct Response: B.
This question requires the examinee to demonstrate knowledge of major characteristics, genres, authors, works, and awards for excellence in literature for children and young adults. The Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal is awarded annually by the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) to the author(s) and illustrator(s) of the most distinguished children’s informational book. The selection committee defines books in this category "as those written and illustrated to present, organize, and interpret documentable, factual material for children."
Objective 0004
Information and Knowledge (Standard 4)

6. Several high school students who are conducting Internet research for a research assignment have gotten most of their information from wikis. To best verify the accuracy of this information, the school librarian should suggest that the students compare it with information found in:

  1. popular blogs.
  2. reference books.
  3. institutional Web sites.
  4. online academic databases.
Answer
Correct Response: D.
This question requires the examinee to demonstrate knowledge of strategies for evaluating the accuracy, relevance, and comprehensiveness of information. Online academic databases consist of scholarly research on given subjects, often in the form of academic journals, which are peer reviewed—scrutinized by scholars in the field. Wikis are collaborative subject-specific Web sites, often a collection of articles that any user can edit or update; they are considered dynamic or evolving knowledge bases. Comparing information found in wikis to the higher level of scrutiny of academic databases is a reliable way of confirming information found in content-specific wikis.
Objective 0005
Independent Learning and Inquiry (Standard 5)

7. A student has asked the school librarian for help with formulating a research question for an upcoming research paper assignment. The student is very interested in animals and would like to focus the research on some aspect of the relationship between people and dogs. Which of the following next steps would be most appropriate for the librarian to suggest to the student?

  1. developing a plausible hypothesis
  2. creating a list of potential research questions
  3. narrowing the topic to a specific context
  4. constructing a concept map of the student's background knowledge
Answer
Correct Response: C.
This question requires the examinee to demonstrate knowledge of strategies for supporting members of the learning community in conducting personal searches. After generating a broad topic idea for a research paper, the next important step is to narrow the topic to a specific context or focus. In this situation, the student might think about what he or she already knows about the relationship between people and dogs, do some general research on the topic, and then do more focused research that supports areas of interest. This will allow the student to narrow the topic to a particular perspective or tentative thesis for the research paper, which is likely to result in a more thorough, focused examination of the topic.
Objective 0006
Social Responsibility and Collaborative Inquiry (Standard 6)

8. Which of the following outcomes is likely to be the most important benefit of developing and implementing a formal Internet acceptable use policy (AUP) for a school library?

  1. promoting students' understanding that they are personally accountable for their use of online information
  2. providing students with guidelines for the safe, responsible, and ethical use of online information
  3. prompting students to adopt the practice of verifying the accuracy of online information in other formats
  4. preventing students from accessing online information that may be inappropriate for their age level
Answer
Correct Response: B.
This question requires the examinee to demonstrate knowledge of practices and processes for responsible, safe, and ethical use of information and technology. An acceptable use policy (AUP) regarding Internet use in the school library is likely to have many positive outcomes, including making students aware of guidelines for safe, responsible, and ethical use of online information. In Indiana, AUPs for school libraries typically describe general instructional philosophies and strategies to be supported by Internet access in schools; the process for governing local Internet system security, user accounts, and user privileges; and sanctions imposed when policy violations occur. Providing formal guidelines for Internet use in the library clarifies library policy on many questions and issues, including those related to copyright, appropriate and inappropriate online activity, and privacy.
Objective 0006
Social Responsibility and Collaborative Inquiry (Standard 6)

9. School librarians and classroom teachers can best encourage students to seek diverse perspectives during inquiry tasks by adopting which of the following approaches?

  1. having students take a preliminary position on the topic they are investigating and revise it as needed during the inquiry process
  2. helping students develop the habit of consulting multiple resources, including primary source material, throughout the inquiry process
  3. making sure students are aware of and know how to use the full scope of resources available in the school library
  4. assigning each student a partner to review the information the student has gathered at established points in the inquiry process
Answer
Correct Response: B.
This question requires the examinee to demonstrate knowledge of strategies for seeking out and respecting diverse and global perspectives during the inquiry process. When school librarians and classroom teachers collaborate to impress upon students the importance of consulting multiple resources in the research process, they increase the chances that students will learn about topics and issues from many diverse perspectives. By consulting both primary and secondary source material, students gain background knowledge that can establish a context for new learning. Through primary sources, students can examine evidence or information from participants in, or first-hand observers of, a specific event or issue. Through secondary sources, students learn about how others have interpreted or analyzed an event or issue. Exposure to these various voices and viewpoints contributes to a fuller understanding of inquiry topics.
Objective 0007
Instruction and Assessment (Standard 10)

10. According to the American Association of School Librarians' (AASL) Standards for the 21st-Century Learner, which of the following goals is most important for a school librarian to emphasize in helping students develop multiple literacies?

  1. providing students with many opportunities to respond to informational, literary, and digital texts
  2. teaching students varied techniques for identifying personal interests and learning preferences
  3. supporting students in gaining proficiency in selecting, evaluating, and using information effectively
  4. assisting students in building a repertoire of strategies for understanding unfamiliar vocabulary
Answer
Correct Response: C.
This question requires the examinee to demonstrate knowledge of the American Association of School Librarians' (AASL) Standards for the 21st-Century Learner. The "Common Beliefs" section of the AASL Standards for the 21st-Century Learner states that "the amount of information available to our learners necessitates that each individual acquire the skills to select, evaluate, and use information appropriately and effectively." Information literacy has progressed to include multiple literacies, including digital, visual, textual, and technological resources.
Objective 0007
Instruction and Assessment (Standard 10)

11. Students in a fourth-grade class are researching topics for a science unit. The unit addresses a new science standard and the school library has relatively few resources on the unit topic at this time. Although the students have had some experience with online research, they are having difficulty obtaining useful results. Which of the following strategies by the librarian would best support students in their research efforts?

  1. having students create concept webs for their individual research topics
  2. creating a pathfinder to scaffold students' information searches
  3. reviewing problem-solving models that students can apply in their research
  4. introducing students to the use of Boolean operators in an information search
Answer
Correct Response: B.
This question requires the examinee to demonstrate knowledge of strategies and skills for planning and designing instruction in multiple literacies, including the use of techniques and approaches and appropriate physical, digital, and virtual resources that meet the needs of diverse learners. The term "pathfinder" refers to a collection of information resources that help guide research. By creating or providing a pathfinder, a librarian gives students a map to use in navigating the inquiry process; the pathfinder might include the unit's research task, essential questions to answer, key search terms, and references and links to specific high-quality resources. It provides a framework or scaffolding for the learning experience and helps ensure that students will take advantage of the best resources and complete their research successfully. Pathfinders also allow the librarian to model helpful resource selection and evaluation skills, time management skills, and twenty-first century learning skills.
Objective 0008
Communication and Collaboration (Standard 7)

12. A school librarian works in a district with a large population of English Learners. Which of the following strategies would be most effective to use in promoting an atmosphere of inclusion within the library program?

  1. creating informational signage in students' primary languages
  2. including in the collection a few books that address the languages and cultures of the English Learners
  3. collaborating with teachers on instruction and resources for English Learners
  4. organizing cross-cultural forums to encourage positive interactions among student groups
Answer
Correct Response: C.
This question requires the examinee to demonstrate knowledge of strategies for promoting acceptance and understanding of cultural and linguistic diversity in the school library program, in the school, and in the community. Collaborating with teachers to determine instructional and resource needs for English Learners is especially important in determining how to best promote an atmosphere of inclusion in a library program at a school with a large population of English Learners. Teachers and librarians can work together to address the interests, language characteristics, and learning needs of English Learners to develop their literacy skills and foster their ability to become independent and engaged readers.
Objective 0009
Collection Development and Resource Management (Standard 8)

13. Which of the following types of information is most important to have when beginning a process of weeding a school library's materials?

  1. knowledge of the school curriculum in all subject areas
  2. understanding of which academic areas are likely to be outdated most quickly
  3. awareness of the student population's preferences in both fiction and nonfiction
  4. familiarity with the budget amount that will be available to update the collection
Answer
Correct Response: A.
This question requires the examinee to demonstrate knowledge of standard methods of classifying, cataloging, and weeding school library materials. Conducting a curriculum review across subject areas is an essential first step in the weeding process of a school library’s resources. Without a full understanding of the teaching content of the school, the school librarian is likely to weed out resources that could be useful materials, and select materials that are not useful to meet the school’s learning goals.
Objective 0010
Program Administration (Standard 9)

14. During periods of high-volume use of the library when the school librarian is providing instruction to many classes and small groups of students throughout the school day, it is most important for the librarian to take which of the following actions?

  1. providing teachers with classroom sets of resources and reading materials to minimize excess traffic in the library
  2. extending the library's before- and after-school hours of operation to accommodate individual students' information needs
  3. suspending temporarily students' use of the library for the purpose of selecting recreational reading materials
  4. ensuring that support personnel are assigned to oversee circulation activity and provide assistance to individual students as needed
Answer
Correct Response: D.
This question requires the examinee to demonstrate knowledge of considerations and techniques for scheduling school library personnel, resources, equipment, and space. During periods of high volume, it is most important for the school librarian to rely on support personnel to oversee circulation and work with individual students as needed because the school librarian will need to devote his or her time to the larger groups of students that will work through the library during the day. Depending on the size of the school, support personnel include library clerks, volunteers, and student assistants.
Objective 0010
Program Administration (Standard 9)

15. A high school librarian regularly records information about student research projects, such as the degree of the librarian's involvement in planning, implementing, and assessing the project; the information literacy skills addressed in the project; and the research and production tools the project required. The approach is likely to be most effective in helping the librarian achieve which of the following goals?

  1. using the principles of data-driven decision making to promote continuous improvement in the library program
  2. promoting full integration of information literacy skills into content-area instruction
  3. providing evidence of the extent to which the library program is aligned with accepted best practices of the field
  4. aligning information literacy skills instruction with state and national standards
Answer
Correct Response: A.
This question requires the examinee to demonstrate knowledge of strategies for using current data and research to plan, evaluate, and modify the school library program. Data compilation and analysis has become an important skill for school librarians. Statistics are used to garner support for projects and materials and to show evidence of student achievement. Data also indicates which aspects of the library program should be changed and improved.